Pressurized door for dry cleaning machines and the like



Nov. 17, 1964 L. P. SULLIVAN ETAL 3,157,307

PRESSURIZED DOQR FOR DRY CLEANING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 7;1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

' I 'INVENTORS.

- -LEOR SULLIVAN HA OLD V DETTMAN WMJM 1964 L. 1 SULLIVAN ETAL 3, 57, 0

PRESSURIZED DOOR FOR DRY CLEANING MACHINES AND THE LIKE ATTORNEYS UnitedStates PatentO 3,157,307 PRESSURIZED DOOR FOR DRY CLEANING MACHHES ANDTHE LIKE Leo l. Sullivan and Harold V. Dettman, Minneapolis, Minn,assignors to Consolidated Engineering Service, line, Minneapolis, Mind,a corporation of Minnesota Filed Nov. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 235,956 2Claims. (Cl. 2220-46) This invention relates generally to dry cleaningequipment and machinery, and more particularly it relates to animprovement in pressurized doors for dry cleaning machines and the like.

Generally speaking, dry cleaning machines of the general class describedherein usually comprise a tumbling chamber defined by a generally rigidhousing structure and in which the door-equipped opening for theturnbling chamber is framed by a generally annular flange.

Dry cleaning machines of the type disclosed herein normally use cleaningfluids which are volatile, and it has therefore been a particularproblem to devise a door construction for the tumbling chamber openingwhich will maintain a constant seal around the opening at all times whenthe door is in its closed position. This problem is of particularsignificance with respect to self-service dry cleaning machines sincethe doors therefor are frequently opened and closed by inexperienced anduntrained operators. Another consideration is that due to the necessityfor providing a machine design which may be economically manufactured ata competitive level of cost, it is desirable to construct the machineswith a minimum of precision grinding or machining on the annular flangewhich defines the tumbling chamber opening.

With the above in mind, an important object of this invention is theprovision of a pressurized door for dry cleaning machines and the likewhich is constructed so as to provide a constant seal around thetumbling chamher opening at all times when the door is in its closedposition.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a pressurized doorfor dry cleaning machines and the like which is constructed so as to begenerally automatically actuated to its sealing condition whenever thedoor is moved to its closed position.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a pressurized doorfor dry cleaning machines and the like which is constructed in suchmanner as to provide an efiicient and effective seal for the tumblingchamber opening without the necessity for precision grinding andmachining of the annular flange which defines the tumbling chamberopening.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of apressurized door for dry cleaning machines and the like which isconstructed so as to remain operative and provide effective sealingthroughout long periods of continued use and with a minimum of servicingattention.

Other objects of thisinvention reside in the provision of a pressurizeddoor for dry cleaning machines and the like which is designed so as topermit the manufacture thereof at a relatively low level of cost, andwhich is also strong and durable in construction.

The above and still further objects and advantages of this inventionwill become apparent from a consideration of the following detailedspecification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicatelike parts or elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a dry cleaning machine or thelike and showing the door construction 'ice in accordance with thisinvention, some portions being broken away, and some portions beingshown in section;

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, some partsbeing broken away;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3, some partsbeing broken away;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a detail view in section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the electrical circuit and associatedmechanism for the door latch.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1 thereof, thegenerally front portion of a dry cleaning machine or the like is showntherein. Dry cleaning machines of the type to which this inventiongenerally relates are often mounted in a vertical wall surface with themajority of the machine disposed behind the wall surface or a verticaltrim plate, represented by the reference numeral 1 in the drawings. Withthis arrangement, the generally front portion of the dry cleaningmachine is disposed generally flush with or in generally verticalalignment with the vertical trim plate 1. Dry cleaning machines,particularly the self-service type, are often disposed or mounted inpairs with a control panel therebetween, and referring to FIG. 1, thegenerally front portion of one :dry cleaning machine is shown therein,together with a portion of the control panel. The control panel includesa coin-operated metering device 2, a timer mechanism 3, and indicatinglights 4.

The dry cleaning machine comprises a generally rigid housing 5 which maybe formed of any suitable sheet material or the like, and the housing 5defines an inner tumbling chamber and also has an opening 6 for thetumbling chamber. The opening 6 for the tumbling chamber of the drycleaning machine is framed by an annular generally cylindrical flange 7.The flange 7 is secured generally adjacent its inner portion 8 to thehousing 5 whereby the outer portion 9 of the flange '7 projectsoutwardly of the housing 5, as shown particularly in FIG. 5.

This invention particularly relates to a novel door construction for theopening 6 of the dry cleaning machines, and the dry cleaning machinetherefor further comprises a door, represented generally by thereference numeral lid. The door ll) is mounted adjacent the opening 6 ofthe tumbling chamber by suitable means whereby to provide pivotalswinging movements of the door ll) between an open condition and aclosed condition. The door ltl is mounted to the housing 5 by means of apair of suitable vertically spaced hinges 11. The hinges 11 eachcomprise an inner portion 12 which projects through the trim plate 1 andis rigidly secured to the housing 5, and an outer portion 13 rigidlysecured to the door lli, as shown particularly in FIG. 6. The inner andouter portions 12, 13 of each of the hinges 11 are pivotally connectedby a suitable pintle rod 14.

The particular construction of the door body might be of several forms,but as shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 5, the door body is formed,such as by molding from a suitable material, to define a generallycentrally located circular recess 15 which extends inwardly toward thetumbling chamber of the dry cleaning machine and which is at leastpartially defined by an inwardly extending cylindrical portion 16. Thecircular recess 15 is covered with an inwardly extending concave windowdisc 17. The window disc 17 is secured at its peripheral edge portion tothe cylindrical portion 16 of the door 10 by means of a gasket ring 18,a retainer ring 19, and a plurality of suitable cap screws 20. As shownparticulady in FIGS. 1 and 4, the door is formed with tapered upper andlower edge portions, a vertical hinged edge portion 21, and a free edgeportion 22 disposed in general parallelism with the hinged edge portion21. The door 10 is formed to define a handle recess 23 disposed inclosely spaced relationship to the free edge portion 22 of the door 10.

In order to provide means for maintaining an effective seal between thedoor 10 and the opening 6 to the tumbling chamber of the dry cleaningmachine, the hingedly connected door 10 for the dry cleaning machine isconstructed in a novel manner as will be disclosed hereinafter. The door10 is formed to define an inwardly opening annular recess 24 which opensin the direction of the flange 7 and is disposed so as to be generallyaligned therewith when the door 10 is in its closed condition. Theradially inner side wall portion 25 of the annular recess 24 is definedby the cylindrical portion 16 of the door 10, and the radially outerside wall portion 26 is defined by a cylindrical ring 27 secured to thedoor body by means of a plurality of machine screws 23 or other suitablefasteners. An inner surface of the door body forms a wall portion of theannular recess 24, said Wall portion being referred to herein as abottom wall portion 29.

The above-noted novel pressurized sealing means for the door 10 furthercomprises an annular compressible sealing member 30 received in theannular recess 24 of the door 10. The sealing member 30 may be formed ofany suitable compressible and resilient material, an

example being neoprene. The compressible sealing member 30 is disposedwithin the annular recess 24 with one side portion 31 thereof disposedin spaced relationship to the bottom wall portion 29 of the annularrecess 24 so as to define an annular pressure chamber 32 behind thecompressible sealing member 30. The sealing member 30 is held within theannular recess 24 by means of an inner retainer ring 33 and an outerretainer ring 34, the former of which is secured by suitable machinescrews 35 to the body of the door 10 and the latter of which is securedby the machine screws 28 to the cylindrical ring 27. The inner and outerretainer rings 33, 34 are disposed and arranged so as to define anannular passage 36 leading into the annular recess 24, said annularpassage 36 also being aligned with the outer portion 9 of the flange 7so as to receive the same when the door 10 is moved to its closedcondition.

The sealing member 30 is further arranged and positioned within theannular recess 24 so that the opposite or rear side portion 37 of saidsealing member 30 is disposed so as to engage a beveled end portion ofthe flange 7 when the door 10 is in its closed condition, as shownparticularly in FIG. 5. It will be noted with particular reference toFIG. 5 that said one side portion 31 of the sealing member 30 is formedso that the sealing member 30 is generally cross-sectionally V-shapedand defines opposed generally annular inner and outer sealing lips 38,39, respectively. The inner sealing lip 38 is positioned so as to engagethe inner side wall portion 25 of the annular recess 24, and the outersealing lip 39 is arranged so as to engage the outer side wall portion26 of the annular recess 24.

In order to provide means for forcing the sealing member 30 against thebeveled outer portion 9 of the flange 7 when the door 10 is in itsclosed condition, means for introducing fluid under pressure into theannular pressure chamber 32 is provided in accordance with thisinvention. Such means comprises a tubular coupling 40 connected througha suitably positioned opening in the cylindrical ring 27 adjacent theside thereof disposed adjacent to the hinged edge portion 21 of the door10, said tubular coupling 40 being connected with a flexible conduit 41.The flexible conduit 41 is then connected by a suitable conduit to acompressor, not shown, which supplies fluid under pressure to thepressure chamber 32. The compressor, not shown, may be controlled bysuitable control means so as to actuate the compressor when the drycleaning machine is in operation. When fluid under pressure isintroduced into the pressure chamber 32, the sealing lips 38, 39 of thesealing member 30 are forced against the respective side wall portions25, 26 of the annular recess 24, and the rear side portion 37 of thesealing member 30 is forced against the beveled outer portion 9 of theflange 7 when the door 10 is moved to its closed condition. It may bedesirable to control the above-noted compressor, not shown, so that thesame will be actuated Whenever the dry cleaning machine is in operation.In this way, the seal will always be effected between the door 19 andthe flange 7 whenever the door 10 is latched in its closed condition,and when the door 10 is unlatched, the pressure behind the sealingmember 30 will cause an outward swinging movement of the door 19.

In order to provide efiicient means for releasably retaining the door 10in its closed condition, a latch mechanism is provided in accordancewith this invention. Such latch means or mechanism comprises a camsurface 42 defined by a cam bar 43 secured to the door 10 adjacent thefree edge portion 22 thereof. The latch mechanism further comprises alatch bar 44 in the form of a bellcrank pivotally mounted on a stud 45rigidly secured to the dry cleaning machine, as shown particularly inFIGS. 4 and 5. The pivotal latch bar 44 is pivotally connected to thepiston rod 46 of a two-way fluid pressure operated cylinder 47 which ispivotally mounted, as at 48, on a projecting stud 49 secured to thehousing 5 of the dry cleaning machine. By reference to FIGS. 4 and 7, itwill be noted that when fluid under pressure is introduced on the sideof the piston so as to extend the piston rod 46, the latch bar 44 willbe moved into engagement with its cooperating cam surface 42, as shownby full lines in FIG. 4, so as to securely latch the door 10 and effecta seal between the resilient sealing member 30 and the flange 7.Further, when fluid under pressure is introduced to the other side ofthe piston so as to retract the piston rod 46, the latch bar 44 will bemoved to its dotted line position shown in FIG. 4 whereby the door 10will be forced open because of the pressure against the flange 7 by theresilient sealing member 30.

In order to control the desired movement of the twoway fluid pressureoperated cylinder 47, a multi-position solenoid valve 50 is provided,the same being diagrammatically shown in FIG. 7. The solenoid valve 50is of conventional construction, and comprises a fluid inlet 51, andoutlet ports 52, 53. The output port 52 is connected by suitable conduitmeans to the retracting chamber of the cylinder 47, and the outlet port53 is similarly connected by suitable conduit means to the extendingchamber of the cylinder 47. The solenoid valve 50 includes a core rodhaving opposite end portions 54, 55. Referring to FIG. 7, the positionof the solenoid valve 50 as shown therein, together with the circuitcondition as shown therein, is such as to expose the outlet port 52 andretract the piston rod 46 to an open condition of the latch bar 44. Asshown in said FIG. 7, a source of current is provided across a lead wire56 and a common wire 57. A solenoid coil 58 for the end core rod 54 isconnected between the lead wire 56 and the common wire 57, the circuitfor the solenoid coil 58 being completed by a lead wire 59, anopen-latch relay contact 60, a movable relay arm 61, and a lead wire 62.

In order to obtain suitable current for operation of a low voltage relayground circuit, a step-down transformer 63 is interposed between thelead wire 56 and the common wire 57. The secondary of the step-downtransformer 63 is connected by a lead wire 64 in series with a relay 65which is further connected to a contact 66 and a movable arm 67 of anormally closed relay 68. A series connection between the movable arm 67of the rclay 68 and a door-actuated switch 69 completes the circuit toground, as shown particularly in FIG. 7. The dooractuated switch 69 ismounted on the door lit so as to ground the same, as shown particularlyin FIG. 5. The switch 69 includes a spring biased plunger 70 and astriker plate 71 whereby when the door 16 is moved to its closedposition, the contact made by the switch as will energize the relay 65and move the relay arm 61 to engagement with a relay contact '72 of therelay 65 whereby to deenergize the solenoid coil 53 and also energizethe solenoid coil 73 for the core rod end portion 55, the solenoid coil'73 of course being interposed in series between the relay contact '72and the parent lead wire 56 by means of a lead wire 74, as shownparticularly in FIG. 7. With this arrangement, it will be noted thatwhen the door is moved to its closed condition so as to close the switch69 and thereby energize the solenoid coil 58, the solenoid valve outletport 52 will be closed and the outlet port 53 will be opened so as toextend the piston rod 46 of the cylinder 47 and thereby close the latchbar 44 and securely latch the door 16.

In order to provide means for automatically unlatching the latch bar'44and open the door in when the normal machine cycle has terminated, thenormally closed relay 68 is suitably connected with other controlmechanism, not shown, such as a timing mechanism for the machine cycle,and when the cycle is terminated, the relay 68 is energized so as tobreak the contact between the movable relay arm 67 and the relay contact66. This action obviously interrupts the circuit to the relay 65 andthereby causes a return of the movable relay arm 61 to the contact as,whereby to de-energize the solenoid coil 73 and energize the solenoidcoil 58. This returns the solenoid valve 59 to its position shown inFIG. 7, and the door is forced open by the pressure exerted on theflange 7 by the pressurized sealing member 30.

This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while wehave shown and described above a preferred embodiment thereof in whichthe principles of the present invention have been incorporated, we wishit to be specifically understood that the same may be modified withoutdeparture from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a dry cleaning machine or the like having a tumbling chamber andalso having an opening for the tumbling chamber which is framed by agenerally annular flange: v

(a) a door for the opening or" said tumbling chamber,

(12) means mounting said door adjacent said opening for pivotal swingingmovements between an open condition and a closed condition, y

(c) an annular recess defined by said door and opening in the directionof said annular flange and disposed so as to be generally alignedtherewith when the door is in its closed condition, said annular recesshaving inner and outer side wall portions and also having a bottom wallportion,

(d) a generally annular compressible sealing member received in theannular recess of said door with one portion thereof disposed in spacedrelationship to the bottom wall portion of said annular recess so as todefine an annular pressure chamber behind said sealing member and withanother side portion of said sealing member disposed so as to engagesaid annular flange when said door is in its closed condition, said oneside portion of said sealing member being generally cross-sectionallyV-shaped and defining opposed generally annular inner and outer sealinglips each of which is disposed in engagement with a different one of theopposed side wall portions of said annular recess.

(2) means for introducing fluid under pressure into the annular pressurechamber defined behind said sealing member so as to force said annularsealing lips against the side wall portions of said annular recess andalso releasably compress said sealing member against said annular flangewhen said door is in its closed condition, and

(f) latch means for releasably retaining said door in its closedcondition.

2. In a dry cleaning machine or the like:

(a) a generally rigid housing which has a tumblin chamber and which alsohas an opening for the tumbling chamber, said opening being framed by agenerally annular flange,

(b) a door for the opening of said tumbling chamber,

(0) means mounting said door adjacent said opening for pivotal swingingmovements between an open condition and a closed condition,

(d) an annular recess defined by said door and opening in the directionof said annular flange and disposed so as to be generally alignedtherewith when the door is in its closed condition, said annular recesshaving inner and outer side wall portions and also having a bottom wallportion,

(e) a generally annular compressible sealing member received in theannular recess of said door with one side portion thereof disposed inspaced relationship to the bottom wall portion of said annular recess so7 as to define an annular pressure chamber behind said sealing memberand with another side portion of said sealing member disposed so as toengage said annular flange when said door is in its closed condition,said one'side portion of said sealing member being generallycross-sectionally V-shaped and defining opposed generally annular innerand outer sealing lips each of which is disposed in engagement with adifferent one of the opposed sidewall portions of said annular recess,

(f) means for introducing fluid under pressure into the annular pressurechamber defined behind said sealing member so as to force said annularsealing lips against the side wall portions of said annular recess andalso releasably compress said sealing member against said annular flangewhen said door is in its closed condition, and

(g) latch means for releasably retaining said door in its closedcondition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS3,043,469 Leach July 10, 1962

1. IN A DRY CLEANING MACHINE OR THE LIKE HAVING A TUMBLING CHAMBER ANDALSO HAVING AN OPENING FOR THE TUMBLING CHAMBER WHICH IS FRAMED BY AGENERALLY ANNULAR FLANGE: (A) A DOOR FOR THE OPENING OF SAID TUMBLINGCHAMBER, (B) MEANS MOUNTING SAID DOOR ADJACENT SAID OPENING FOR PIVOTALSWINGING MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AN OPEN CONDITION AND A CLOSED CONDITION, (C)AN ANNULAR RECESS DEFINED BY SAID DOOR AND OPEN ING IN THE DIRECTION OFSAID ANNULAR FLANGE AND DISPOSED SO AS TO BE GENERALLY ALIGNED THEREWITHWHEN THE DOOR IS IN ITS CLOSED CONDITION, SAID ANNULAR RECESS HAVINGINNER AND OUTER SIDE WALL PORTIONS AND ALSO HAVING A BOTTOM WALLPORTION, (D) A GENERALLY ANNULAR COMPRESSIBLE SEALING MEMBER RECEIVED INTHE ANNULAR RECESS OF SAID DOOR WITH ONE PORTION THEREOF DISPOSED INSPACED RELATIONSHIP TO THE BOTTOM WALL PORTION OF SAID ANNULAR RECESS SOAS TO DEFINE AN ANNULAR PRESSURE CHAMBER BEHIND SAID SEALING MEMBER ANDWITH ANOTHER SIDE PORTION OF SAID SEALING MEMBER DISPOSED SO AS TOENGAGE SAID ANNULAR FLANGE WHEN SAID DOOR IS IN ITS CLOSED CONDITION,SAID ONE SIDE PORTION OF SAID SEALING MEMBER BEING GENERALLYCROSS-SECTIONALLY V-SHAPED AND DEFINING OPPOSED GENERALLY ANNULAR INNERAND OUTER SEALING LIPS EACH OF WHICH IS DISPOSED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH ADIFFERENT ONE OF THE OPPOSED SIDE WALL PORTIONS OF SAID ANNULAR RECESS,(E) MEANS FOR INTRODUCING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE INTO THE ANNULAR PRESSURECHAMBER DEFINED BEHIND SAID SEALING MEMBER SO AS TO FORCE SAID ANNULARSEALING LIPS AGAINST THE SIDE WALL PORTIONS OF SAID ANNULAR RECESS ANDALSO RELEASABLY COMPRESS SAID SEALING MEMBER AGAINST SAID ANNULAR FLANGEWHEN SAID DOOR IS IN ITS CLOSED CONDITION, AND (F) LATCH MEANS FORRELEASABLY RETAINING SAID DOOR IN ITS CLOSED CONDITION.